What does a donor give…more than just an Organ

As I come back from a glorious holiday in Sicily, which I had been looking forward to for over a year, I have been thinking about what a journey it has been to get there. There have been many things that have played a part in making this holiday possible. From my family, to my doctors, physios and everyone else who has made sure I was fit and healthy enough to enjoy it. However, the one most important person, is my donor. And of course the donor family, who made the most courageous and selfless decision to donate their loved one’s organs. The donor and donor family are who got me to Sicily, and who have allowed so much else to happen.

This was the idea for the blog today. What does a donor really give? An organ donor gives so, so much more than just a liver, or a kidney, heart or lung. A donor gives someone life, and the ability to experience and live it to the full. The donor and, their family’s decision, give hope, joy, happiness, nerves, excitement, sadness, and all the other emotions that life brings.

My donor has given me the opportunity to experience so much. Almost one year on from my third liver transplant, and already my donor has given me more than I could have ever imagined. They are the reason I was able to compete at the Transplant Games, have an incredible holiday in Sicily, they are who made it possible to take my GCSE’s this year and receive my results today – that I am pretty happy with! They bring the wonderful things in life, as well as the not so wonderful, but the important thing is to appreciate it all, and make the most of all opportunities and experiences you have. The bad stuff, the good stuff, the great stuff – a donor gives it all.

It’s not just the recipient that the donor gives joy to. An organ donor gives the family and friends of the recipient the chance to continue life with their loved one, the chance to experience happiness and love with that person. It’s never just the recipient that the donor impacts, it’s everyone around them.

So, what does an organ donor give? So much more than a liver, kidney, heart or lung – they bring life and everything that it means. And just in case you needed another reason to be an organ donor, that seems like a pretty good one to me! To be able to give someone all of that and more, being able to give someone the joys and wonders of a life well lived. Why wouldn’t you?

If you do one thing today, let it be having a conversation about organ donation with your family and friends, and don’t forget to sign the register!